Samsung
Electronics and may other makers of memory and microchips around the
world sometimes use chemicals and other materials in the construction
of their products that are toxic and could be lethal to humans if
exposed in large doses. Samsung has been battling allegations that
some workers in its plants in China have contracted cancer from
exposure into the work place.

Samsung has been under
pressure by activist groups to take responsibility for the
incidents of workers contracting leukemia or lymphoma. So far, 22
workers from the chip plants Samsung operates have been diagnosed
with lymphoma or leukemia between 1998 and 2010. Ten of these workers
have died because of the diseases so far. Samsung has long maintained
that the chemicals it uses in the production of chips at the plants
have not caused the cancers in workers.

Samsung Memory
Division president Cho Soo-in said, "We are deeply sorry about
the loss of loved ones... and we've actively cooperated on
epidemiologic investigations, which concluded there were no leaks of
radiation." He continued saying, "But I feel we should also
have done this (communicated with the public) in the first place to
stop speculation from growing."

The
Korea Times reports
that Samsung is working hard to reduce the suspicions that the
workers contracted the diseases while working at Samsung's plants. In
an effort to do this, the electronics giant is opening
up some of its plants to reporters. These plants are usually
closely guarded and only open to visiting politicians.

The
latest Samsung worker to succumb to diseases believed to be
contracted at the Samsung plant was 23-year-old Park Ji-yeon, who was
a worker at the Samsung plant in Onyang in the North Chungcheong
Province since 2004. She died from leukemia and used an x-ray machine
to check chips produced at the plant. The process produced radiation
which some believe caused her leukemia.

The Korea Occupational
Safety and Health Agency has stated that the relationship between
working conditions and leukemia is unclear. The agency stated, "The
chances of males getting leukemia or cancer was lower than average,
while among females, the chances of dying from the disease were 1.48
times higher than normal, which could be considered insignificant."

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